Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu open up about Strictly, wedding plans, and family support amid online trolling

Strictly Come Dancing star Shayne Ward opens up about the struggles of being away from his family, but revealed his daughter has been the cheerleader he's needed

Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu, stars of Strictly Come Dancing's 20th anniversary series, haven't had the smoothest journey on the show so far, with Shayne facing some criticism after his ballroom debut six weeks ago, as some fans hinted he was "loving himself". Now, in an intimate chat with OK! magazine about their experiences both on and off the dance floor, former X Factor winner and Coronation Street actor Shayne, 40, shares his verdict on his experience of the iconic BBC series.

"It's a massive learning experience for me because I've been the actor, I've been the pop star, but this is the first time where I'm getting to be me and I'm finding out different things about myself in this different environment," he shares. "I'm just trying to learn what these incredible pros have been doing for 20 or 30 years and of course it's massively humbling."

Meanwhile, Nancy, 33, who has been part of the series since 2019, jumped to Shayne's defence against the negative remarks and reassured fans that "NOBODY is confident" when under the intense scrutiny of millions of viewers, reports OK!.

Today, she reiterates her earlier sentiments, saying, "We're always nervous, trust me. The only moment you don't feel nervous is in the rehearsal room and that's because it's the only place you can make a mistake."

Shayne, who has two kids with his fiancée actress Sophie Austin, says he won't let social media trolls ruin his mood, despite the impact negative comments have, noting, "I think when it comes to social media and negative comments, I'm only human, and it can get to me. It can also upset my mum and Sophie when it's a personal attack.

"But then I look at how many beautiful comments I get, and they far outweigh the negative ones. I do think social media needs to be monitored a little bit more to protect people. People just need to be kinder."

The other hot topic surrounding Shayne's appearance has been his wedding to Hollyoaks star Sophie - the mother of his two children, two-year-old Reign and big sister Willow-May, seven - which was reportedly put on hold because of the timing of the series. The couple got engaged in 2017 but have yet to tie the knot.

"As time has gone on, we've realised just how much more special it's going to be to have our children at our wedding," Shayne shares. "We're excited to see Willow-May and Reign play a huge part in it. Willow-May gets so excited about it and tells us, 'OK, Mummy and Daddy, next year is your wedding.'

"There's a part of us that would love a big bash and have everybody there, but there's also a part of us that would like a small intimate wedding. Next year will be our 10th anniversary of being together, and it's going to feel amazing to say 'I do' to Sophie."

Time away from his loved ones has been the hardest part of Shayne's journey so far, but knowing they're enjoying watching him makes it a little easier. "Being away from Sophie and the children has been hard," he says. "But Sophie is incredible and has been my absolute rock through this adventure. Each week Willow-May tells me, 'You've got to stay in, Daddy, you're doing amazing, Daddy.' It makes me so happy."

He also credits Nancy with keeping him upbeat throughout the process.

"Nancy has been so amazing too, because she knows just how important family is, and how much family means to me. She's all about including Sophie and my children in the rehearsals and in conversations. When I'm on FaceTime, she always says 'hello' and gives her time. It just shows what a big heart Nancy has and I'm truly grateful for her.

"I knew that the show was a wonderful show, I mean the fact it's been going for 20 years speaks for itself. When I joined, I immediately felt the warmth and the love from everybody, and also saw how much everybody champions each other. It's the craziest, most wonderful experience and I highly, highly recommend it to anybody. And Nancy is the best partner. I can see how much it means to her that I have so much respect for her background and everything she knows."

The concept of respect is a word that comes up a lot as they chat, and of course it's been a hot topic on the show following complaints from past contestants and the subsequent internal BBC investigation. But the respect is there in abundance with these two.

"When you work in this industry, the most important thing is, when you're sharing your knowledge and your story, the respect needs to be there," Nancy says. "You need to respect each other, and Shayne does that. I'm so grateful for the way he shows up, the way he works, his patience, and the way he has the respect for my career and the knowledge I share. And also, we laugh a lot while we're doing it! ".

Shayne chimes in, "It's really the best thing ever because we know that when we step into rehearsal, regardless of what the routine is or how hard the steps will be, you know you're going to have moments of pure laughter."

Shayne also credits his family for their unwavering support, saying: "Sophie is a huge fan of the show and she's been pushing me to do it for years, so she's loving it too! She always said, 'You'd be great on this, you're always dancing around the house with the kids anyway,' and this year when she said it again, I finally thought, 'OK, I'll do it.' I'm so grateful to her."

The kids are also enjoying the experience, with Shayne revealing: "Reign doesn't have a clue what's going on because he's only two, but he sees me on the telly and says, 'Dada'. But Willow-May is super proud of her daddy and she loves Nancy and watching the show. She says Nancy looks like a beautiful princess. She has sleepovers with friends and they have Strictly parties, and she's got a little paddleboard that was given by Janette from It Takes Two. So, every weekend my little girl gives me a 10, I'm very happy."

He also reflects on his past victory on The X Factor in 2005, drawing parallels with his current stint on Strictly Come Dancing: "As well as the judges on the panel, there's the live audience, the people watching at home and the voting. At the eliminations, there's the same heartbeat I heard 20 years ago on the stage hoping to get through X Factor. It's like a trip down memory lane in a way! "

With this year's celebrity cast receiving high praise and the backstage atmosphere reportedly buzzing, we wonder who Shayne has clicked with the most?

"Honestly? I love everybody and that's the gospel truth. I share a room with Pete Wicks and he's wonderful. He's such a lovely, genuine guy and we have great conversations. Once you're in the studio it's all scheduled and regimented, but in the Star Bar – the communal area – everyone just sits down together and chats about how their weeks have been and asks about other people's family and things. We've become like an extended family, it's pretty cool."

THe singer-turned-actor left viewers emotional recently when he burst into tears during a surprise visit in the rehearsal room from Sophie and his mum Philomena, who has suffered from prolonged ill health. On the visit to mark his 40th birthday, Shayne says: "I've got the biggest respect and love and admiration for my mum. So, the sheer mention of her is emotional. It took a lot for her to come over and watch the rehearsals. She wasn't there long because she's not in the best of health but it meant everything to me. I could see how much it meant to her as well."

With scores ranging from 21 to a high of 33 during Movie Week, Shayne and his dance partner are determined to rise up the leaderboard. But Nancy, who is now in her fourth series, says she's already won the glitterball with Shayne.

"I feel like we already have the glitterball in our amazing partnership," she says. "I think we both knew from the beginning that we'd made a friend and not just a dance partner. It's about making someone feel special, and them making me feel special. We're making memories together every week and that's like gold. No one can take them away from us."

Shayne is also focused on making the most of his time on the show, particularly with his two children watching at home. "We know this is a competition, but when it really comes down to it, what I want to take from it is the memories. Memories of the dance partners, the whole behind-the-scenes get-up, everything. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and, when I'm embracing it and enjoying it, as scary as it can be, I'm winning anyway."